Package structure



Nov. 1, 1938. L. G. COPEMAN PACKAGE STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 23, 1935 5Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS NOV. 1, 1938. L. G CQPEMAN 2,134,908

PACKAGE S TRUCTURE Filed Dec. 23. 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Jloyd6'. Cbpemar;

ATTORNEYS Nov. 1, 1938. G. COPEMAN PACKAGE STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 23, 19355 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. ,LTqyd @peman ATTORNEYS Nov. 1, 1938. G.COPEMAN 2,134,908

PACKAGE STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 25, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. $51,,11/ 59 6' 6206/7740 ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 1, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFlCE PACKAGE STRUCTURE poration of Michigan Application December 23,1935, Serial No. 55,887

8 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of packaging, and has to do especiallywith improved package structures useful for delicate, frangible oreasily broken objects, articles or material.

The principal object of the invention is. the provision of a packagestructure or container for such objects, articles or material whereinthe same are held in the package or container in a floating manner tothus be cushioned from shocks and the like. One good example of objectswhich may be packed and shipped with container structures of the presentinvention is eggs. Accordingly, the following detailed description andthe drawings describe and show respectively containers or packagesespecially designed for the handling of eggs. Of course, it is to beappreciated that the invention is not limited to use with eggs, asvarious other articles of food or any other delicate, frangible orreadily breakable articles or material may be packed in such containers.7

More specifically the invention contemplates the suspensiomor thefloating of the objects in the container by the means of a supportingsubstance havlng the property of elasticity or resilience and whereinthe substance advantageously and preferably is under tension, and/or thesupporting of the objects by a substance of a flexible nature undersufficient tension to support the objects in a floated or suspendedmanner. This material is generally described by the term stretchable. Tothis end the particular forma-- tion and structures of the containersare subject to much variation in form, and several are shown herein, andthe substance used for thus support ing the objects is preferably andadvantageously rubber.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the detailed descriptionprogresses and is considered in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank of cardboard or the like from which aportion of package may be made.

Fig. 2 is aview illustrating the formed blank.

Fig. 3 is a view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating the formed blankwitha piece of resilient or elastic supporting material.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6--6 of Fig. 4.

Fig.- '7 is a sectional view taken through a formed blank showingseveral pieces or strips of resilient or elastic material.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view illustrating one method of applying therubber.

Fig. 9 is a view illustrating how two of such blank bodies may bebrought together, with the objects to be packed or carried disposedbetween the same.

Fig. 10 shows the two blanks in cooperative relation.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 10illustrating the completed package.

Fig. 12 is a view looking into a filled container of modified form.

Fig, 13 is a sectional view thereof illustrating some of the parts.

Fig. 14 is a similar sectional view illustrating the addition of anotherelement.

Fig. 15 is a similar sectional view illustrating the eggs located.

Fig. 16 is a similar sectional view illustrating the addition of anotherelement.

Fig. 17 is a similar sectional view illustrating the addition of a stillfurther element.

Fig. 18 is a similar sectional view illustrating the addition of a finalelement.

Fig. 19 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating the relation of theparts at the uppermost portion of an egg.

Fig. 20 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating the parts at thelowermost portion of an egg.

Fig. 21 is a sectional view taken through a container completely filledand closed.

Fig. 22 is a partial plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 13.

Fig. 23 is a partial plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 14.

Fig. 24 is a partial plan view of one of the reenforcing elements.

Fig. 25 is a sectional view taken through a filled container of afurther modified form.

Fig. 26 is a view illustrating the relation of some of the parts beforeassembly.

Fig. 27 is an enlarged sectional view showing some of the structure ofthe form shown in Fig. 25.

Fig. 28 is a view illustrating an assembled condition of the form shownin Fig. 25.

Fig. 29 is an enlarged sectional view also showing an assembledcondition of the parts shown in Fig. 25.

Fig. 30 is a perspective view of a still further modified form of theinvention.

Fig. 32 is a perspective view of a carrying member of the modified formshown in Fig. 30.

In Fig. 1 there is shown a blank of suitable cardboard or the like Iprovided with apertures 2 and which may be provided with crease lines sothat it may be fashioned into tray form as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 withflanges or sides 4. A layer, in the form of one or more strips offlexible re silient or elastic material, is to be used in conjunctionwith the openings and in Fig. 4 a strip of such material is shown at 5extending across one row of openings. This material may be a thin sheetof rubber. As shown in Fig. 7 there are three of such strips where theapertures are arranged as shown. One way to apply this rubber layer isby spraying latex in position on the tray form and which is in the formof a suitable liquid and sets up in the form of a rubber sheet. This maybe done as shown in Fig. 8 by the use of a backing or platen member 6placed on the under side and with the material sprayed thereon with anozzle 1. In this particular method the rubber layer 5 may more or lessfit into the apertures as shown.

There are two of such tray structures used in packing a plurality ofeggs, and these are positioned reversely relative to each other as shownin Fig. 7. The two members are brought together as shown in Fig. 10, andeach egg is thereupon encased by the rubber layers or strips, as shown.The apertures are preferably somewhat larger in diameter than the eggsso that the eggs are held suspended therein. As the two tray members arebrought together the rubber which bridges the openings is stretched andrendered taut so that the eggs are firmly but movably and iloatinglysuspended. The eggs are shown at A. These two tray forms may then beplaced in an outer container or box as shown at l0, and the cover llclosed so that the two enclosed tray members are held snugly therein, asillustrated in Fig. 11. The rubber strips or layers adhere to the trayforms so that the portions which bridge the openings are tensioned. Inthe form shown in Fig. 4, for example, the rubber strips may be appliedwith the use of an adhesive or a similar arrangement for rendering thesurface of the rubber tacky, while in the form shown in Fig. 8 thesprayed latex may adhere directly to the material.

Another form of the invention is shown in Figs. 12 to 24, inclusive. Inthis form there is an outer container I5 with a cover l6 and in it isplaced a member ID with flanges l9 to separate the body thereof from thebottom of the container, and this member I8 has apertures as shown at 2|(Fig. 22). The member may be suitably reenforced by cross-pieces 20.Over this member l8 may be placed a suspending element. This elementpreferably takes the form of a sheet comprising two sheets of paper 23and an intermediate layer or sheet of rubber 24. This material may beprepared in large form and cut to size. In some instances only one sheetof paper need be used. The paper is cut, slotted or provided with tearlines, as shown at 25, at the location of the apertures.

The eggs A may then be inserted as shown in Fig. 15, and as they arepressed into the openings the paper layers spread at the cut lines, ortear, it the lines are merely tear lines, such as perforations, as shownin Fig. 20, thus freeing the intermediate layer 24, which stretches.Following this, in some instances, an intermediate supporting member 26may be placed in the container, it

being of box construction with cross-supporting members 21, and havingapertures 28 with out lines 29 extending therefrom. The material of thebottom of the member 26 is bent upwardly separating at the cut lines toprovide stabilizing and supporting portions 30.

Next a second layer of paper and rubber which may be identical to theone shown in Fig. 14 is placed over the eggs as shown in Fig. 17. Then amember which may be similar or identical to the member l8 but in reverseposition is placed over the eggs as shown in Fig. 18. Since this uppermember may be identical to the lower member the same referencecharacters are applied. This is pressed downward and the paper separatesat the lines 25 freeing the intermediate rubber layer 24, as shown inFig. 19. The completed and filled container is shown in Fig. 21, andwhen the cover is closed the two end members [8 are held positioned bythe bottom and the top of the outer container with the eggs floated andheld by the tensioned rubber. Fig. 12 illustrates how the paper mayseparate.

A further modified form is shown in Figs. 25

to 29, inclusive, and which in some respects is similar to the formshown in Figs. 1 to 11, inclusive, except that instead of suspendingeach individual egg an entire egg carton is floated in position. Asuitable egg carton of a desired construction is shown at 40 and thismay be used with a pair of similar members comprising an outer wall 4|closed on one side by a sheet comprising outer layers of paper 42 and 43and an inner layer of rubber 44. This composite sheet may be suitablyfastened to the wall I by adhesive or the like, as at 45. Two of suchmembers with their composite sheets disposed in reverse positions areused and, as shown in Fig. 25, the carton is pressed into the sheets. Asthe bottom of the carton is pressed into one sheet the paper layers aretorn. To facilitate this the paper may be moistened substantially at thelocations indicated in Figs. 26 and 2'7. This breaking of the paperfrees a portion of the intermediate rubber layer, with the result thatthe carton is held suspended both from above and below by the stretchedrubber. The two members with the carton therebetween may then be placedin an outer container 50 which closes tightly around the superposedmembers, as shown in Fig. 25, and the carton therefor is held suspendedin an intermediate position in the outer container.

A still further form is illustrated in Figs. 30,

31 and 32. This may take the form of a frame having end pieces 5| and 52and side rails 53 and 54 and equipped with elastic members which maytake the form of rubber bands 55, preferably two near each end. Asuitable carton or container for delicate material or objects isillustrated at 56, and this is disposed within the frame with one rubberband at each end extending thereover, and one rubber band extendingthereunder, with the result that the carton is suspended as illustratedin Figs. 30 and 31. The width of the carton 56 is less than the widthbetween side rails 53 and 54. This frame structure, as shown in Fig. 30,may then be enclosed in a suitable outer container 60 for shipment orother handling.

Eggs or other objects of material may be thus packed in small or largecartons for handling in the usual channels of transportation or thelike, and a number of filled containers may be placed into a crate. Itis within the invention, where extra precaution is desired, to pack thecontainersshown in Figs. 11 and 21 in a suspended manner, so that theindividual objects are floated or suspended in their respectivecontainers, and several containers are in turn suspended in crates orlarge cartons.

I claim:

1. In a container for eggs or the like, a box structure, an aperturedsupporting member, a composite sheet of paper and rubber extendingacross and covering the apertures of the supporting member, said paperbeing cut on separating lines substantially at each aperture whereby anarticle may be partially extended through an aperture with the paperseparated on the cut lines and the rubber element stretched.

2. In a container for eggs or the like, the combination of a boxstructure, a lower supporting element provided with apertures, an uppersupporting element provided with apertures, said members lying in planeswithin the extremities of articles to be packaged and adapted to receivearticles with the article ends projecting through the apertures, and acomposite sheet of material comprising a sheet of rubber and a sheet ofpaper covering the apertures of each supporting member, said papersheets having cut lines at the location of the apertures, whereby whenthe articles project through the apertures the paper layers separate onthe cut lines and the rubber layers embrace opposite ends of thearticles and are held taut thereby.

3. A container for eggs or the like comprising, a box structure, anapertured supporting element in the lower portion of the box, anapertured supporting element in the upper portion of the box,stretchable means bridging the apertures and adapted to be stretched byarticles positioned in the apertures, said stretchable means com.-prising each a composite layer of paper and rubher with the paper havingcut lines at the apertures.

4. A container for eggs or the like comprising, a box structure, anapertured supporting element in the lower portion of the box, anapertured supporting element in the upper portion of the hon,stretchable means bridging the apertures and adapted to be stretched byarticles positioned in the apertures, said stretchable means eachcomprising a composite sheet composed of outer sheets oi paper and anintermediate sheet of rubher with the paper having cut lines at theapertill!!- 5. In a package structure for one or more articles, asupporting member having an opening therein and into which-an article isadapted to project when the article is packaged, and a composite sheetextending 'across the opening comprising a layer of fibrous material anda layer of rubber, said fibrous material layer having portions adaptedto be separated or torn as the article is projected into the opening andthe rubber layer being stretched by said article whereby the article isheld in packaged position by said stretched layer of rubber.

6. In a package structure for one or more articles, a supporting memberhaving an opening therein and into which an article isadapted to projectwhen the article is packaged, and a composite sheet extending across theopening comprising a layer of paper and a layer of rubber, said paperlayer having portions adapted to be separated or torn as the article isprojected into the opening and the rubber layer being stretched by saidarticle whereby the article is held in packaged position by saidstretched layer of rubber.

'7. In a package structure for one or more arti cles, a supportingmember having an opening therein into which an article is adapted toproject when the article is packaged, and a composite sheet extendingacross the opening comprising an intermediate layer of rubber and asheet of fibrous material on opposite sides thereof, said fibrousmaterial having portions adapted to be separated or torn as the articleis projected into the opening, and the rubber layer being stretched bysaid article when projecting into the opening, whereby the article isheld positioned by said stretched layer of rubber.

8. In a package structure for one or more articles, a supporting memberhaving an opening therein into which an article is adapted to projectwhen the article is packaged, and a composite sheet extending across theopening comprising an intermediate layer of rubber and a sheet of paperon opposite sides thereof, said paper having portions adapted to beseparated or torn as the article is projected into the opening, and therubber layer being stretched by said article when projecting into theopening, whereby the article is held positioned by said stretched layerof rubber.

LLOYD G. COPEMAN.

